The Wry Observer
by yellowdickroad
Summary: "You know for someone who avoid annoying things, you literally inject yourself into the worst possible situations ever, Pepper."


There's a lot of things that annoy Pepper. Crowds. Unsweetened coffee. Long lines. To her dismay, she has come into contact with all three while picking up Eugene and James from the airport. To be fair, it's not the people that she hates in crowds.

It's the things she notices.

It's hard for her not to notice them.

How the man in the black coat is telling his wife that that he hasn't landed in Arlington, VA yet but clearly he was here. His thumb keeps twiddling with his wedding band. So affair. How nice.

Or how the girl behind her keeps unlocking her phone then locking again. She's also playing with her necklace. Waiting for a text then. Probably from the person who gave her that necklace.

It's really hard not to notice that the old woman coming off the plane to a horde of her family saying hello and questioning but appreciating the sudden visit has radiation tattoos visible beneath the collar of her tank top. Those nice people are going to be in for the worst news of their week.

She doesn't want to notice these things. The last things Pepper wants is to peep into the private moments or struggles of these strangers. She would hate if someone did that to her. Observe her and draw their own stupid conclusions.

"Hey Pepper!" she hears from afar. She sees Eugene and James climb off the plane and check themselves out with their coach.

"Eugene Kudo," Eugene says while showing his ID.

"James Reed," says James with his ID out as well.

"Alright boys. Congratulations on the wins. Have a good time this weekend but don't party too hard. Practice will resume in April. Check your emails ya here?" the boisterous voice of their coach fills the crowded waiting area. Pepper patiently leaned against a pillar for them to check out. As soon as both boys were squared away with the respective authorities, they come barrelling towards Pepper in a pile of lanky arms and long legs, smelling like aftershave and recycled airplane air.

"We missed you!" they yelled together.

"Yeah, I miss you guys too." Pepper said, smiling into Eugene's chest and grasping James torso with both arms. She did miss them. Two whole weeks without her best friends was a boring pain in the ass. Korean dramas and homework only fill up so much time afterall.

"So how was the swim meet?" Pepper asks, reaching for James and Reed carry-on and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Good. Tiring mostly. James got first place in his heat for 100 meter freestyle and 400 meter breast. I got first for the 400 meter freestyle 100 meter butterfly. Thank god it's over. The anxiety was killing me," Kudo says while sighing relief, "I can finally eat like a human again. Pizza. Pasta. Pussy!"

"Ew, Kudo, what the fuck, don't tell me that shit." Pepper shuddered while James and Kudo both loudly laugh at the obscene joke. The sounds of their shoes scuffed the linoleum of the airport. The silent companionship was broken with the loud speaker phone blasting throughout the airport.

"Pardon the interruption. The Arlington Airport is on lockdown under the authority of the FBI. Everyone please stay calm and stay where you are. Please listen for any updates." the voice over head announced then clicked off.  
"Goddamnit. I was so close to pizza!" Kudo despaired.

"Welp." Pepper stated then plopped on the ground criss-cross and pulled James and Eugene down with her. "Okay, I'll guess we're sitting and chilling until they let us out. Why don't you to lay down and nap. You've been on a plane all day. Just chill out for now."

"Alright then Pepper. Night night." James mumbled while laying down and putting an arm over his eyes to shield the light away. Pepper leaned back and began scanning the crowded area. Despite her deliberately glazing her eyes and unfocusing on everything in front of her. As she observed the security guards and policemen loiter around the area, she noticed one security walking away from the hub of action. Her eyes vaguely followed him as he left and came back to his spot behind the check-in area.

With everyone frozen, it's not hard to notice two lone officers speed walking and quickly questioning different security guards. One was dressed casual while one looked straight out of an FBI movie. Dark suit. Dark sunglasses. Dark demeanor. Suddenly, the security guard she had her eyes on begin running in her direction, next to the exit, with a key dangling from his hand. However, before he can reach the exit, the security guard is tackled by the officer with the sunglasses.

"Tell me where the last bomb is. Tell me!" the officer demanded the security guard grunted but did not offer any other type of information. The other officer behinds pressing fingers to his scalp and mumbling.

"Okay, if I was a bomber but I want to harm a lot of people in the next half hour. Where would I place my bomb?" he mumbles.

"Literally anywhere in this airport, Ried," another officer who just came up says.

The map of the airport is visualized in Pepper's mind while she thinks of all the terminals within a 1 minute walk from the security guard's position. Which terminal is packed in the next half hour? Which plane is leaving?

The commotion woke up James and Eugene who looked at Pepper with a thoughtful look on their faces. They smiled as she leaped up on her feet and ran towards the skirmish.

"Go get 'em Pep," Eugene whispered as he looked towards the back of Pepper running towards the other officers.

"Terminal D7! Terminal D7! There's a full plane leaving for New York in half an hour! The bomb is at terminal D7! It's within a minute walk from here towards that direction!" Pepper frantically shouted as she pointed towards the direction the security guard left earlier. All the officer and personnel looked towards her and stared.

"Young lady, you do not have any author-"

"You fucking bitc-"

Both the security guard on the ground as well as another police officer began speaking to her.

"Just fucking go! People lives are in danger!" Pepper shouted again.

"Reid, Morgan, go where she says." the officers in the sunglasses instructed.

"Okay little lady, lead us there," the officer, Morgan, says to Pepper.

"Oh fuck no," James said says while yanking on Pepper's arm, "You are not going on a scavenger hunt for some bomb in god's know where. You're not trained. You're not prepared. Draw them a damn map and stay here."

"Oh my god, James, this is not the time for this. Let me go!" Pepper says while trying to yank her arm out of James' grip.

"Down that hallway, turn left, and take another right." Pepper recited from memory.

"Thanks little lady," agent Morgan says before running off with what she remembers to be Agent Reid.

After what seemed like hours, the airport security finally lifted. After sitting up and stretching, James, Eugene, and Pepper, made their way to the door.

"Oh man, I bet my car has a ticket. I've been illegally parked for like 4 hours probably," Pepper groaned, "Money is fucking funny right now if y'all know what I mean.

"Just contest it Pep," James said offhandedly, "I'll pay it if it really comes down to it."

"I don't need your fucking charity James," Pepper shot back.

The banter continued as they exited the airport. The two boys smiled to themselves. Despite all of Pepper's complaints about dealing with people and avoiding troublesome situation, she has the heart and conscious to always inject herself to try and save the day. They're familiar with her behavior since the three begin their friendship their freshmen year of high school. Despite being obsessively avoiding troublesome people like the plague, Pepper was always the type to go out of her way to rectify the situation. But then endlessly complain about it later.

"Excuse me you three. You're going to have to stop and come with us," a stern voice behind them demanded. The three stopped and slowly turned around. All three were faced with the three agents from earlier. Agent Reid, Morgan, and Mr. Dark and Stern himself. All three didn't have a gun in their hands but they were on guard, tensed.

"Um...why?" Pepper questioned, "Did we do something?"

"Yeah, we're kinda tired of being here guys. Can we leave please?" Eugene spoke up.

"We're sorry, but we have a few question for you guys back at the station," Agent Reid requested.

"Heck no. I'm tired. Now if we're not being detained, the three of us are leaving," Pepper said while turning back towards her car.  
"Stop right now! Miss Peng Lao, you're under arrest for being an accessory to a crime and having unauthorized access to information. You have the right to remain si-" the stern agent began.

"What in the world? I saved the fucking day! I'm being arrested for not being blind as a bat?!" Pepper spluttered. She begins fighting the the restraints but then stopped when James grabs her shoulder.

"Pep. Oh my god. Pep! Chill! Let's just go with them quietly. We have nothing to hide," James said. Pepper quiet down and let the agents man-handle her to their black SUV. James and Eugene silently followed her. The three of them climbed into the backseat and sat quietly. Agent Reid turned to face them from the shotgun seat.

"Um...Miss Peng L-" Agent Reid began.

"Pep. Pepper. Just Pepper," Pepper replied sharply.

"O-ok, Pepper. Now that you're with us willingingly, I can remove your cuffs if you want," Agent Reid said. After a mute nod from Pepper, Reid throw the handcuff keys to the back of the car. James grabs it from the air and freed Pepper's hands. She silently begins massaging her wrist, her scowl still firmly on her face.

"...are you guys going to tell us why I'm in this car. Off to the police. For doing nothing." Pepper drawled sarcastically, while playing with her fingernails.

"By the way, my name is Agent-" Reid began.

"Reid and Agent Hotchner, I know." Pepper finished for him.

"Okaaaaay." Agent Reid awkwardly said to fill up the silence,"Ahem, well, we're bringing in you in for questioning because we don't know why you know you know…"

"What do you mean by that?" Pepper asked.

"How did you know where the bomb was hidden, Pepper?" Agent Hotch said abruptly.

"I saw the security guard leaving in that direction and assumed so." Pepper explained. Reid and Hotch looked at each other for a second before Reid turned back towards Pepper.

"How did you know where he was going? He was a security guard, he could have been going anywhere. And how did you know which terminals were in that direction? People rarely know exactly where their terminal is at the airport much less the location of other terminals. And furthermore, how did you know when the plane was going to leave? How about where the plane was going? Or how did you direct Morgan and myself to that other bomb? And-"

"Okay, okay. Stop talking please." Pepper snapped,"I just noticed all those things. Okay? I noticed them, and then I remember them when they're relevant."

"When they're relevant?" Reid questions.

"Well, I see them. I can't always access those memories without a little concentration, but I can see them. My mind just notice arbitrary things and catalog them." Pepper explains further.

"Huh...interesting," Agent Hotch says.

"Well, anyway, can I go now? Obviously I can't be involved in this crime. I have an alibi for this entire week. Just check my internet history and my phone records. I called James and Kudo every night." Pepper said.

She noticed Reid givin Hotchner a long stare before he briefly nodded.

"Sure. What's your address Pepper?" Ried finally asks.


End file.
